This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers Review

You all probably know that I love me so zombies and I really liked Some Girls Are by Courtney Summers, so I jumped at the opportunity to read her upcoming book, This is Not a Test, due out in July. This book was provided by Netgally.com for review.

The zombie apocalypse has finally destroyed life as we know it. The world is ending and when there is a signal, phones and radios carry the same message: This is not a test….This is not a test…The message is unnerving to the handful of teens who have managed to survive and find refuge in their high school. Among the survivors is Sloane Price, a girl who has not been bitten or infected, but she has felt dead for months. Sloane’s world ended six months ago when her beloved older sister abandoned her and left her alone with their abusive father. She has nothing left to live for, but can seeing the world through the eyes of survivors who want to live change her mind. Is surviving for the sake of surviving enough?

This is the best zombie book I have read since finishing Carrie Ryan’s Forest of Hands and Teethseries. This is Not a Testis dark and gritty and haunting. There are a few tension-filled zombie scenes, but the real story is inside the school where readers witness the slow and horrifying descent into chaos that occurs among the survivors. This is a zombie book that is not about zombies. It’s about the living dead; some are infected, but some aren’t. Powerful and relentless in its desperation, the story will stay with you long after you have reached the last page. I love when that happens.

A brief note of warning: this book contains swearing, drinking, sex, and death. It is beautifully written and perfectly executed, but not for the young reader.

You may also enjoy The Forest of Hands and Teethby Carrie Ryan and Because I am Furnitureby Thalia Chaltas.

3 responses to “This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers Review”

I LOVED Forest of Hands and Teeth, but really liked the second in the series, The Dark-Tossed Waves, a lot better. I haven’t gotten through the final one in the series, but one day I’ll try to finish it! I’ve been wanting to read This is Not a Test for a while now; I love a good zombie book! Also LOVE that you call it a zombie apocalypse!